1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multilayer ceramic electronic component having improved reliability by improving sealing properties of a chip.
2. Description of the Related Art
In accordance with the recent trend for the miniaturization of electronic products, demand for multilayer ceramic electronic components having a small size and high capacitance has increased.
In accordance with the demand for multilayer ceramic electronic components having a small size and high capacitance, an external electrode of the multilayer ceramic electronic component has also been thinned.
An external electrode paste may include a conductive metal such as copper (Cu) as a main material to thereby ensure chip sealing properties and electrical conductivity between the external electrode and a chip and include glass as an auxiliary material to thereby serve to provide adhesion between the external electrode and the chip simultaneously with filling voids during sintering shrinkage of a metal.
However, in the case in which a content of glass in the external electrode paste is insufficient, chip sealing properties may be defective. In the case an excessive amount of glass is added to the external electrode paste in order to complement the chip sealing properties, a defect such as a plating defect may occur due to the elution of the glass to a surface.
Particularly, in accordance with the thinning of the external electrode, it is difficult to implement a desired level of density, and the possibility that a defect will occur due to a deficiency or excess of glass, owing to high temperature behavior characteristics of the glass, may be increased.
In addition, in a small-sized multilayer ceramic electronic component in which a coating thickness of the external electrode is thin, a thickness of the external electrode at a corner portion maybe especially thin, such that corner coverage performance is low. Therefore, a plating solution may infiltrate into a ceramic body.